I'm Not Mad!
by MonsterKell
Summary: Susan Valenti is about to go on trial when she's taken away to a secluded sanitarium in the mountains. Doctors plan to test her on the Morphogenic Engine when odd things begin to happen. Now Susan has to fight her way out of the asylum with only her wits as a weapon. Will she be able to escape with her sanity in tact?
1. Chapter 1

Susan watched the doctors through her eyelashes as they passed her cell. This was the second time today they'd come to the Female Ward to collect some poor sap. She stared curiously as they stopped at the cell next to hers. The cell belonged to a woman who sat in the corner, rocking back and forth and muttering to herself. Her red hair was a ratty mess and the dark under her eyes made it obvious the woman didn't sleep. But Susan didn't care, honestly. She grew bored as they practically dragged the woman out of her cell and down the hallway, screaming the whole way.

This had been happening ever since she'd arrived at the secluded asylum a few weeks ago. Doctors would hurry buy, pulling one insane lady after the next down that hallway. She began to notice quickly that they never returned. The first day she'd screamed her voice out as they passed.

"I DON'T BELONG HERE!" she screeched at them. "I'M NOT MAD, THERE'S BEEN A MISTAKE!" Yet the doctors never paid her any mind. Eventually, she'd given up trying to convince them. Hell, who'd believe her here anyway? She much preferred jail to this place, at least there had been sane people to talk to.

Snorting, Susan went back to staring at the ceiling. By now she'd become accustomed to the random din of the cell block. But she was surprised. For a female ward, there weren't many patients, even before the doctors took some away. All she could do was sleep and eat. Closing her eyes, she let the unsettling sounds drift her into a troubled sleep.

* * *

"Get up!"

Susan practically jumped as she felt something jab her ribs. Sitting up, she wasn't surprised to find the group of doctors standing in front of her cot. Her brown hair cascaded down her chest as she moved.

"My turn to disappear, huh?" she mused as the doctors ushered her out of her cell. The group walked down the long hallways, muttering quietly to themselves. Susan could only catch a few words here and there between a guard pushing her forward.

"… the surgery…. see how this one reacts… reproductive system… hook her up to the engine."

Eyes widening in shock, Susan stopped in her tracks. The guard shoved her forward.

"Keep moving, Valenti!" he growled, pointing his rifle at her. Susan shook her head and tried to make a break for it. The doctors caught her arms. Her screams echoed through the hallway. What the hell kind of place was this? She could feel the doctor's grips slacking and made a final tug. As soon as she was released from their arms, the guard slipped in front of her. She felt the butt of his gun make contact with her cheek and she fell to the ground. As her vision went dark, she heard the doctors make a final comment.

"Make sure this one gets secured properly."

* * *

Susan's eyes slowly opened and a weak groan escaped her lips. The lights from the room almost blinded her and she reached to cover her eyes only to find her arm was strapped down. Tugging at the restraints, she found all her limbs were tied down. Her jumpsuit was crumbled on a chair and she was dressed in a hospital gown.

"The hell…" she murmured. She felt her lip curl up at the idea that these men had undressed her. Looking around, her eyes finally focused more. The room wasn't very big. It was around the same size as a doctor's office, with a cabinet in the corner containing numerous medical instruments. Looking closer, she noticed blood stains on most of them.

Susan jumped as the door opened. One of the doctors that had escorted her from her cell waltzed in with a clipboard, writing as he approached. She glared at him, ignoring the slight throbbing on the side of her face.

"Well, your vitals look excellent," the doctor said, half to himself. He was a middle-aged man with a bald spot and big glasses. He looked up at her finally. "Says here you were in jail for beating a man to death. No wonder you were brought here, you're crazy like the rest of 'em."

Susan glared at him. "I'm NOT crazy." The doctor ignored her words, marking down more stuff on his clipboard.

"Alright, this will only sting for a little bit," he drawled, walking over to the cabinet. Susan gulped as he picked up a scalpel. "We're going to remove part of your ovaries and hook you up to the Engine, see if you can handle it and stuff." Susan fought at the restraints as he came closer.

"No. No! Get away from me!" she shrieked. The doctor moved her gown up, exposing her lower body. The scalpel was brought inches away from her stomach and Susan closed her eyes. The doctor was just putting the blade to her skin when an alarm sounded. The doctor backed away, frowning. He placed the tool on the table next to her bed.

"What the devil is it now?" he grumbled, leaving the room. Gunshots and distant screams could be heard as the door closed. Susan panted, waiting until he left, and reached for the scalpel. If she could just reach it…

She cursed as her fingers brushed the tool and sent it crashing to the floor. By now, the commotion was closer and the air was beginning to feel colder. Susan began twisting her wrist at the ties. She felt in cutting into her skin, but it was starting to slip through. Something slammed into the door, causing her to jolt forward. Her hand came loose, bleeding from the scrapes. Susan attacked the other restraints. She glanced at the door and could see shadows passing through the frost-pane glass. The alarm blared, but that was now the only sound she could hear. It had become oddly quiet. Susan slid onto the floor, staring at the door. She tiptoed to her jumpsuit and quickly slid it back on. Still she heard nothing. Finally, she grabbed the scalpel. She didn't care what she had to do. She wanted to get out of this place.

Opening the door slowly, Susan peered into the hallway and almost threw up. The walls, the floor, everything was covered in blood and entrails. Bodies littered the floor in pieces. Susan stepped out, gagging at the sight. Other than the horrid scene, the hallway was empty. Then again, she had no idea where she even was. But she didn't want to stay there- not with all the bodies. So, stepping lightly over the pulpy mess, Susan made her way down the hallway. She shivered at the feeling of the stickiness under her feet.

"It's alright, Susie," she muttered. "Just find an exit. There's always an exit."

Turning the corner, the air got colder. She stopped in her tracks and slapped a hand over her mouth. A hazy fog had settled and the outline of a dark being was just visible. It looked distracted by something at its feet. Quietly backing up, Susan felt behind her for a door knob. The creature, whatever the hell it was, wouldn't stay distracted long. She turned the knob and fell backwards into the room. The door slid shut with a click and she stumbled against the wall, shaking. The sharp intake of a breath made her turn her head and she felt dread once she realized she was not alone in the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: I'm trying to stick to the Whistleblower Storyline, but give it my own twist as well. That's why it may seem a bit slow right now. Thank you for reading, as always!**

* * *

The man had what looked like a camcorder in his hand and about the same amount of shock as Susan had. She had her scalpel held up in front of her. They stared at each other for a couple moments before Susan spoke.

"Are you one of those damned doctors?" she growled. The man shook his head.

"Are you one of those crazed patients?" he asked calmly. She shook her head. Both seemed to relax after that. The man approached slowly.

"I'm just looking to get out of here. Name's Waylon. Waylon Park." Waylon reached out a hand.

Susan shook it, smiling. "Susan Valenti." Waylon smiled back. Then he tiptoed to the door and looked out. Once the coast looked clear, he motioned for Susan to follow him.

"I'm not sure how, but all of the patients got out." He whispered back to her. "It's mass murder. I've never seen so many dead bodies."

"Do you know the way out?"

"Yeah. It's back that way. But it's sealed off..." Susan felt cold. She grabbed Waylon's shoulder for support.

"Are there... any other ways out?" Her voice shook as she spoke. She didn't want to die here. Hell, she didn't even belong here! She wanted answers as to why she was brought here, but her first priority was getting out. Waylon took a deep breath.

"There has to be, this place is falling apart. We'll find a way to the first floor. We will." he sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than her. Susan followed him as they wandered down the dark hallway. Waylon had the advantage of the night vision on the camera, so he'd warn her if there was something she'd trip over as she followed behind.

They stopped as noise exploded from up ahead.

"Hurry, hurry! They're coming!" a voice called. They heard the stomping of feet and the slamming of a gate before silence returned. Heading to the gate, Waylon shook at the door.

"Locked. Dammit!" he spat. Susan kept watch as he tried to pry the door open. He sighed, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"Alright, I think I know what to do," he said quietly. "I think there should be a radio somewhere that will let up contact the police. All we have to do is get to it."

Susan lifted an eyebrow.

"Stay alive. Avoid the crazies. Get to the radio. Should be a piece of cake."

* * *

One hallway let to another and Susan could feel herself tiring out mentally. Her adrenaline rush has subsided and now she just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep. Waylon slowed to a stop, looking through his camera.

"There's a guy up there, I'm not sure if he's alive." he spoke quietly. He motioned for Susan to wait and crept over to pass the man. Susan held her breath as he approached. Waylon paused, checking the man over.

"Alright, I think he's-" The man's arms shot up and with a yell he wrestled Waylon to the ground. Susan watched in horror as Waylon struggled to fight off the patient.

"You piece of shit!" the patient growled. He grabbed hold of Waylon's shoulders and began to beat him into the ground. Waylon cried out and his camera slid to the side. He groaned as he tried to push the patient off.

"Piece of shit! Shit!" the patient spat. Waylon made a final shove and knocked the patient to the side. The patient grunted as he hit the ground. He made a motion to get up, but Susan got there first. The scalpel came down in the patient's side and he screamed out.

"Fuckin' bitch!" he screeched. Susan brought the scalpel down again, blood splattering onto her hands and jumpsuit. Waylon, shocked, grabbed her arm and pulled her away. He stooped to grab his camera and together, they ran. The patient's screams grew fainter and fainter. Panting, Waylon finally stopped so they could catch their breaths.

"_Oh God..._" Susan moaned. "_Oh my GOD!"_ Waylon glanced at her and she leaned against the wall, covering her mouth and shaking her head. A wild light danced in her eyes.

"Susan..." Waylon reached out to touch her shoulder. "Susan, it's _alright! _Just calm down, take a deep breath."

Susan gulped down air. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. He was just...you were..."

"I understand," Waylon replied calmly. "I know it's hard, trust me. But you did what you had to." The wild light faded slowly as Susan relaxed. Waylon looked around to make sure they were alone before pulling Susan into the nearest room.

"Look..." he sighed. "We might _have _to kill people to get out of here."

Susan had a bitter expression on her face. "It wouldn't be the first time, then." Waylon's eyes widened. Susan wiped her hands on her pants.

"That's why I was in jail. I...beat a man to death."

"What?!" Waylon backed away slowly. Susan winced.

"In an alley way. He was drunk, see. Beat up my sister. I got...angry and I just wanted to hurt him badly. I don't remember much, but when they found me I was - cradling her body and the guy - he bled to death." She didn't want to mention the sick satisfaction she'd felt stabbing the patient.

Waylon opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sound of a buzz saw echoing through the hallway. It sounded close by and before either of them could react, a shadow appeared on the wall.

"_THERE YOU ARE!" _


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Again, thank you so much for the support. The action finally begins! Susan goes through some character development in this chapter. I might start drawing my favorite scenes from the chapters. Thank you for reading! Please enjoy Chapter 3!**

* * *

Getting chased by a cannibal wielding a buzzsaw was not high on Susan's "FUN THINGS TO DO WHILE LOCKED IN AN ASYLUM" list. The man came running around the corner with the saw high above his head. Waylon and Susan felt glued to the spot.

"Run?"

"Good idea!"

Grabbing her wrist, Waylon bolted down the hallway with Susan stumbling behind him. The cannibal screamed at them, and, to Susan, he seemed to run faster at the sight of his prey. Waylon made a sharp right and kept to the shadows, causing Susan to lose sight of the madman. The sound of the buzzsaw was fading and their panting became the only sound besides the buzz of flickering lights. Sliding to a stop, Waylon crumpled to his knees. Susan leaned against the wall and didn't take her eyes off the hallway they'd come from.

"I don't suppose," Waylon gasped, "You still have that scalpel, huh?" Susan felt around her pockets.

"No...Dammit, I must have dropped it," she growled. "Not like it'd do much good against a _buzzsaw."_

Waylon stood up and looked around.

"I think...If we keep going this way, we can get to the Northern hallway and that leads to the radios. We're getting close." Waylon let a smile spread across his face. "Maybe we caught a break. Maybe we-" The sound of the buzzsaw cut him off as the cannibal came barreling down the hallway.

"Feed me, feed me, _FEED ME!" _he screeched. Susan yelped and started running again. She heard the footsteps farther behind her as she tried to get away. It seemed like she was tripping over everything on the ground, but she scrambled into one of the offices and slammed the door shut. Panting, she closed her eyes.

_God, if I ever get out of here alive, I take back everything I ever thought about you._

Susan opened her eyes and turned her head.

"Waylon, we gotta-" Eyes widening, she frantically looked around the small room. The whole time, she'd thought Waylon was with her! Susan pulled at her hair and felt panic rising in her chest.

_Calm down, Valenti! He couldn't have gotten too far._

Putting her ear to the door, she listened for any movement. Her blood froze at the sound of bare feet slapping on the ground. She stumbled away from the door and slid under the single desk in the corner. The sound passed her door and was gone. She waited, holding her breath, for the door to slam back open. Minutes felt like hours. Eventually, she was satisfied that he was gone and crept back into the hallway. The lights were dimmed in some spots and out in others. Keeping to the shadows, she backtracked the way she'd come. The silence was unsettling and even her heartbeat sounded too loud.

"Keep running! We're almost out!" came a voice up ahead. Susan watched as two doctors scrambled passed her hallway and another door slammed shut. She rushed to the door and pulled at it, grunting with the effort, but it stayed locked. Frustrated, she kicked at the door. Why couldn't any of the doors be unlocked? The light above her head flickered as she sullenly began her search again. Slowly turning the corner, she almost ran straight into the madman.

"_Mine! You are mine!"_ he exclaimed. Susan's hair stood on end as he swung the buzzsaw at her. Ducking, she bolted away from him.

"You need a new hobby!" she panted. Her feet stung from stepping on debris and her legs were beginning to feel like jelly. Worse, she had no idea where she was going. It was almost like this guy was herding her somewhere.

Skidding across the ground, Susan entered in what looked like a locker room. She could hear the cannibal getting closer. His gait had slowed down. Susan closed the door slowly and looked around for an exit. To her dismay, there were no other doors, no vents, nothing. She could feel herself shaking. She didn't want to die. Not now. Not like this. It was a dumb idea, she decided, but it had to be done. Susan opened up the closest locker and jumped in, trying to control her panting breaths.

The dark room lightened up as the door creaked open. Susan bit her lip. She looked through the holes in the locker door and could see the haunting silhouette standing in the doorway. His weapon hung at his side.

Now that she got a better look at him, she felt her stomach heave. The man was completely naked with blood splattered all over his body. His beard was decorated with organic material that Susan couldn't stare at for long.

"_Where are you!?" _the cannibal snarled. He walked closer to her locker and slammed open one a couple feet away. Sneering, he slammed open the next one. Susan stopped breathing. He was getting closer. Three lockers away. _SLAM. _Two lockers. _SLAM. _The locker right next to her. _SLAM. _Then his hand reached for her locker. It hovered above the lock. He was so close that Susan could smell his breath and she was sure he knew she was there. The door slowly began to open and Susan waited with a clenched fist. Maybe if she could catch him off guard-

A sudden crashing from the hallway made the cannibal's head snap away from the locker. He sniffed for a moment and grinned.

"_Think you're soooo clever!"_ he roared. Reving up his buzzsaw, he dashed away and closed the door behind him. Susan was frozen in her spot as her locker door swung open the rest of the way.

"No way..." she muttered. "That's impossible." Stepping out of the locker, she stared bewildered at the closed door. She'd survived? So close to death and she'd caught a lucky break? Her gasping breaths turned into a giggle, then a chuckle, then laughter. Susan hugged her self and laughed. She had no idea why she was laughing. But the laughter was halted when she turned to the side and vomited.

* * *

Waylon's screaming was what finally drew her out of hiding. He didn't sound that far away, and despite the fact her feet were bleeding and her stomach hurt, she made her way to his screams. What could she do against a buzzsaw, honestly? The cannibal had found Waylon and had him lying on a table, from what Susan could see. The entire room looked like a crematorium. She stayed in the corner and watched. Waylon's eyes turned enough that he noticed her. They were almost pleading, but mostly warning her to run away. Susan shook her head. She wasn't going without him. That moment in the locker room seemed to have sapped her of feeling afraid. Now she just felt numb with a headache. The cannibal lowered his buzzsaw towards Waylon's neck as Susan picked up a brick and threw it as far as she could. The clunk drew his attention.

He cocked his head to the side, turned back to Waylon.

"You stay there," he drawled. "_And cook!"_ Waylon yelped as he was pushed into the cremator. The cannibal darted away towards the noise. He left the room and Susan rushed to the closed cremator. She tugged at the lock on the door.

"Waylon! Waylon, can you hear me? Hold on!" The roar of the flames nearly drowned out her voice. She could hear pounding coming from the inside and a crack followed by a grunt.

"Susan?" Waylon called. Susan got the hatch open and peered through. Waylon was crouched on the opposite side, his glasses cracked in one lens. "Susan, thank God! I thought he'd gotten you!"

"How do I get to you?" Susan huffed. She didn't know how to turn the darn oven off and there was no way she could scale the wall. If they waited for the oven to cool, the cannibal would be back.

"Use the vent in the other room. I saw the schematics for the air vents a while back and it should lead somewhere close to the radios. When you get out, keep heading north. I'll meet you there."

"How long will you wait for me?" Waylon frowned. He hadn't thought of that.

"We'll...we'll give each other a half hour." he decided. Susan nodded. Waylon managed a smile. "Should be enough time for us, right?"

Susan brushed her hair out of her eyes and nodded. She winced as Waylon disappeared from her view and stood up. They were almost there. She just had to make it.

Her head jerked back suddenly as a hand pulled her hair from behind. She screamed out in pain. The cannibal! He lowered his buzzsaw slowly towards her exposed neck.

"Time to stop running, little one," he purred in her ear. "It will only sting for a moment."

Susan's breath hitched as the buzz saw came down. Time seemed to slow down. She pulled forward with all her strength and broke from his grip. The buzzsaw passed her neck and cut close to her scalp. She felt the weight of her head lift as the cannibal stumbled backwards. Not stopping to examing anything, Susan ran. She ignored the shards of wood and rock that stabbed at her feet. She ignored the pain in her body or the roar of the cannibal behind her. All she saw was the vent in the other room. Susan jumped for it and pulled herself up. She felt the whiff of air pass her foot as the cannibal made a last grab at her. He screamed in frustration and cursed at her.

She crawled away from him and when she got far enough away, she felt at her hair. The buzzsaw had made uneven cuts. Some parts were still longer than others, some were close to her scalp. She felt some blood on the back of her head, but it was small. Her thick hair must have softened the blow. Turning back to the lightened end, she couldn't help but grin. She'd escaped once again. Her head ached, but she smiled widely.

"Fuck you, motherfucker!" she grinned. Her smile only slid off her face when the buzzsaw cut against the metal and sent sparks flying. She squeaked and stumbled away from the shower, into the darkness with the anguished cries of a madman filling the void.


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N.: Sorry about the wait! The transition from high school to college is a scary one. But here's Chapter 4 finally! I'm sorry if this chapter's a little dull, I had no idea what to do between Chapter 3 and Chapter 5. Regardless, please enjoy this next chapter and thank you again for the support!**

* * *

Susan had no idea how long she sat curled up in the vent. She knew she had to hurry. The radio room must have been close by; the vent went in a straight line. But she sat curled up by the entrance, feeling at her hair and staring into nothingness. Her head hurt, not just from the cut at the back of it, but internally as well. It was quiet where the vent opened back up, but Susan was reluctant to leave the only safe place she had. Her mind felt so fuzzy from fear and stress. She was like a rat hiding in the safety of its hole and it sickened her.

Minutes felt like hours, but Susan finally managed to move to the opening and peek out. The vent led to a simple looking office with a window and a desk in the middle of the room. She peered around cautiously before gently jumping down. She looked back. If she had to, she could always run back into the vent. But at the sight of the window, Susan perked up. Grinning like an idiot, she stumbled over to it. The sunlight was harsh on her eyes. She held up a hand to shield them. The room looked to be two stories from the ground and a tree leaned close to the office.

"I could get out of here," she sighed. The tree was close enough to jump to. All she'd have to do was shimmy down, get through the gates, and she'd be free of this nightmare. Even if she fell, Susan was sure she'd be alright. Anything to get out alive. She slid open the window as wide as she could and put a foot to the window sill. She closed her eyes as the breeze slid across her face. But her smile slid off her face.

What about Waylon? He was planning on meeting her in the radio room. But did she really owe him anything? She'd just met him. What if he was just tricking her, anyway? Susan pulled her lips back in a silent snarl and moved away from the window. Waylon seemed like an honest guy and she decided that she couldn't just leave him. Besides, the authorities were more likely to believe two people instead of just one, especially if one of them had proof on a camcorder.

Susan growled and pulled at her hair slightly.

"This better work, Waylon," she muttered under her breath. She took one last look at the air vent before charging out the door and back into insanity.

* * *

Once she'd gotten into the hallway and quietly past a couple more crazies, it wasn't hard to find her way to the radio room. The light from the computers cast an eerie glow onto the walls and Susan felt herself not wanting to enter the room despite knowing that the radio was her way out of danger. Maybe it was too good to be true. She rubbed her forehead slightly, praying that something good would happen.

Her feet sounded loud on the floor as she peeked inside. She wasn't surprised in the least bit to see blood on the floor. What surprised her was the smashed radio on the counter.

"No…" she gasped. The device was in pieces, scattered across the room. Susan simply stared at the mess. It had to be a joke. Some sort of cruel, sick joke. It wasn't fair. What had she expected, honestly? With a shriek of rage, she tossed the remaining parts of the radio at the wall.

"_Damn all of this!"_ she snarled. Her head was spinning with panic and confusion. She barely noticed the puff of air that stirred the remaining hair on her neck. Gritting her teeth, she looked up to the face of a monstrous being.

He was huge and had cancerous sores on his face. His teeth were bared and he only wore long pants. He stared down at her curiously.

"_LITTLE PIG, LITTLE PIG!" _he hissed, reaching a hand towards her. Susan clutched a piece of the broken radio and slashed at his hand. Shocked, the creature jumped back.

"DON'T YOU EVEN START WITH ME, ASSHOLE!" she screeched. The monster's expression changed from anger to confusion. Susan barely reached his shoulder, but she shook the sharp plastic at his face angrily.

"I've had about enough of your kind!" she continued, all the while her voice reaching a higher, unstable pitch. "First I'm brought here for absolutely no reason, then I get chased around by some psycho who decided to give me a haircut and _now _you want to mess with me too? Make me go bonkers like the rest of you? HUH?!"

The monster looked stunned at her tone. He looked to be debating how to respond when Susan bolted around him. Roaring, he charged after her as she fled down the opposite hallway. How did that even work? She'd have to find Waylon some other way. Sliding under a blockade, she got back up, running to the outside courtyard. The creature roared at the obstacle in his way and as she raced away, the cries became fainter.

Susan finally slid to a stop behind some bushes. Panting, she slammed her fist on the ground.

"Dammit," she hissed. It was dark now, with the only lights coming from a watch tower down the way. She had no idea what building was what anymore or even where Waylon was. But she was on the ground. She could find the fence, slip through, and leave this hell hole behind. She was hurt, tired, and she could feel herself slipping away. No, she wasn't like them. She was _not _crazy!

"Well look at this brother. I think I've found a mouse."

"S'too big to be a mouse. But she's a curious thing."

Susan lifted her head and wished she hadn't. Two naked men stood before her. If the nudity didn't bother her, it was the sharp knives they held at their sides.

"Can I have her heart?"

"Only if I can have one of her kidneys."

"Shall we count to ten for a head start?"

"Yes, I do believe that would be polite. She is a lady, after all."

Susan frowned at first, but one of the brothers started counting slowly. Scrambling to her feet, she stumbled away from the brothers. But maneuvering in the dark was a hard task and it seemed like she was tripping over everything there was to trip over. Why were they even chasing her in the first place? Susan bit her lip. She doubted she could trick those boys like she'd done that giant brute. She was tired, slowing down, bleeding in multiple places. She couldn't go much longer. Her legs were shaking with the effort.

She almost welcomed death as one of the brothers loomed before her like a wall. His actions were slow to her, since she could not move out of the way in time. His blade glinted in the moonlight and she barely felt it as it entered just below her ribcage. But as he removed it, the pain exploded like fireworks in her body. She let out a pained groan and pushed away from him. The wound was bleeding freely now and her already blurry vision only got worse.

_Maybe I should just let myself die, _she thought weakly. _What's the point of fighting anymore? _Susan stumbled forward, reaching a tree. The branches rose high enough to an open window on the second floor of a building. But she could hear them behind her, slowly closing in, whispering to each other.

"Her uterus will do nicely. None of the others had one."

"Yes, I believe you are right."

She could feel herself blacking out as she pressed a hand to her wound. _I want to die if that's the only escape from here. I have nothing._

But that wasn't true, was it? She thought of her sister. Her sweet sister who just got into college. Her sister who would be worried at home, waiting for answers as to what happened to Susan. A sister who would be alone.

Gritting her teeth, Susan shook her head and with a hoarse moan, she began to climb the tree. The bark cut into her palms and white hot pain shot through her body like lightning as she dragged herself up. _No. I have to get to her. She's all alone. She's scared. I'm all she's got left. She needs me!_

The brothers still whispered quietly as Susan ascended. Her body was screaming, threatening to pitch her back to the ground. But the window it was right there in front of her. The branch swayed as she shimmied across it.

"She's bleeding out, brother."

"Yes, I see that. She's gotten away, though."

"Pity. We shall have to find someone else. She's going straight into _his _lair."

Their words barely registered as Susan slid through the window and onto the floor. She left a thick blood trail as she rolled onto her back. Her hand pressed at the dirtied slash, blood bubbling in between her fingers. Her vision dimmed as someone looked down at her.  
"…Olivia?"

"There you are, _Darling!"_


	5. Chapter 5

Susan was too weak from blood loss to put up a struggle. Her mind felt hazy as the strange man carried her away, humming all the while. There was a vague thought of needing to find Waylon and escape the place, but the thought dissolved like mist as she tried to focus on her surroundings. All she could smell was her own stench combined with the man's musty cologne. As hard as she tried to stay conscious, she felt herself drifting in and out of darkness. Each time she awoke, they were in a different hallway.

"Almost there, darling, please try to hang in there," the man cooed at her. Susan let her eyes drift to his face, but as soon as she did, she blacked out again.

* * *

When Susan's eyes slowly slid open, she stayed awake. Her entire body felt like it'd been thrown under a steam roller. The slightest movement hurt immensely and a small groan escaped from her lips. At least now her eyes were focusing more. The room she'd been brought to wasn't what she'd expected at all.

It was a decent sized bedroom with aged blue walls. A little vanity set with a broken mirror was pushed to the side wall. The floor was littered with sheets, mostly splattered with dried blood. A small window on the wall closest to Susan let in a little light and dust particles danced in the rays. Lastly, Susan had been laid out on a smelly mattress with a ripped and dirty sheet draped over her.

She sat up slowly, wincing. Her hand reached to caress the stab wound in her side and only looked down when her hands brushed bandages. She furrowed her brows in confusion. Looking around, she noticed a needle and thread resting on the vanity with some bloody tissue and a small bottle of alcohol.

Susan clenched her teeth and swung her legs over the mattress to stand. The wooden floor creaked noisily under her weight. She wobbled over to the cracked mirror and gasped at her reflection. She looked horrible! Her face was cut and bruised, she had a black eye, and she was so pale. Turning her head, she examined what remained of her hair. It was a choppy mess, with some parts being long and other parts being extremely close to her scalp. Her eyes shifted from the haunted face in the mirror to the window. Spinning, she rushed over as fast as she could, staring at the light that tempted her. The courtyard of the asylum was laid out two floors below. Freedom was so close. She felt the sob of hope burning in her chest. Her hand moved to the latch. If she could get out, just make it to the ground and try to find Waylon.

"It doesn't look like too bad of a fall," she croaked. "I can still survive that." The latch was inches away from her fingers. That's when the door crashed open. Susan stopped in her tracks.

"Ah, darling, it's good to see you're up and about!" a cheery voice called. Susan looked at his reflection in the glass and turned slowly. He smiled over at her as he put a tray on the table. It had a glass of water on it and what looked like a candy bar. She eyed the food madly, but her gaze drifted to the man once again.

"W...who are you...?" she whispered. "S-stay away from me." Her hand reached for her wound. The man pursed his lips and walked over. He reached out a hand and Susan flinched.

"My poor darling," he mused, resting his hand on her cheek. "You must be terribly disoriented. It's me, darling. Eddie."

Now that Susan could get a better look at him, he would have been a handsome man with a calm and musical voice. But the entire right side of his face was plagued by cancerous sores. His hand felt rough and dirty on her face. What mostly made her unsettled, however, were his red eyes.

"Now, now, dear, you really should rest for now," he continued, patting her hand and leading her over to the mattress. "I can't have you passing out before the ceremony." Susan felt extremely sick. She sat as he instructed and Eddie brought the glass of water to her lips. As the water made contact, Susan realized how parched she was and began to gulp the liquid down. It tasted metallic but she didn't care in the least.

"Slower, darling, you don't want to vomit," Eddie purred quietly. He pulled the glass away before she could finish and wiped at her mouth.

"What...what ceremony?" Susan inquired. Eddie simply smiled at her and petted her hair.

"Why, the wedding, my darling!" he exclaimed. "I couldn't have my bride dying on me, so I took the liberty of sewing up that ghastly wound of yours. You so...perfect for it."

So he was the one who'd bandaged her up. She opened her mouth to speak, but his hand moved from her hair to her throat. His grip tightened on her windpipe and his expression changed from a loving stare to complete fury.

"But you _wanted_ that man to hurt you, to _TOUCH YOU_!" he snarled. "_You little whore! You're like the rest of them, aren't you? AREN'T YOU?!_"

Susan grabbed at his wrist, gasping for air. She clawed at his hand, but her attempts were feeble.

"N-no!" she managed to choke out. Eddie looked her in the eyes.

"_He was making you cry out, you little slut. Did you fuck him? Did you?!_" His grip only tightened. Susan could feel herself getting light headed. She shook her head as best she could.

"No!" she squeaked weakly. "They were...try to... kill me!" Eddie looked up and down her reddened face. A silent snarl presented itself on his lips. But he loosened his grip enough to let more air into Susan's lungs.

"I won't let him touch me again," she pleaded, gasping for air. "Ever, ever again. Please... please just let go of me..." Eddie remained silent. Finally, he let go of her throat and shoved her backwards lightly. Susan gasped for air, massaging her neck.

"Good," Eddie sighed, going back to his loving smile. "I knew you were different, darling. Not like all those other whores."

As he turned back around humming a tune, Susan glanced back at the window. She hated how freedom was so close, yet so far away. She'd still have to find Waylon, of course, but everything rested on surviving this encounter. She couldn't understand how he'd switched personalities so quickly, but she decided she'd have to keep him calm if she wanted to get away. Even if that meant playing into his delusions.

"I'm so glad it's you, darling," Eddie hummed. "You don't need any fixing at all. Not like the others and their..._vulgarities_." He handed Susan the snack bar. She stared at it, then back at him.

"Now, darling, I can't have you going through the wedding on an empty stomach. If you don't want it, I can try to find something else." He smiled, but there was a hint of a threat behind his words. Susan silently accepted the food. As hungry as she'd been earlier, her appetite had left. But she didn't want Eddie to explode into another episode, so she bit into the bar and said a quiet thank you. That seemed enough for him. He waited for her to finish, and once she did, he grabbed her hand and walked to the door.

Susan let herself be dragged away. She was too weak to struggle, but she quickly decided to bolt when the opportunity appeared. Eddie led her down the hallway to another larger room dominated with sewing machines. He stopped in front of one of the dress forms and released her hand.

On the dress form was a beautiful white gown. It looked like it'd been stitched in some places, but the bloodstains at the bottom ruined the image. Susan looked at the dress, then back at Eddie. Was he serious about the marriage thing? He looked at her expectantly, almost eagerly and, if this was a different situation, Susan would have found his enthusiasm endearing.

"It's...lovely, Eddie!" she played along. She flashed him the best smile she could muster. Eddie beamed at her.

"I knew you'd love it, darling!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands together. Susan felt the soft material and was impressed despite herself.

"Well, get dressed, dear! We don't have a lot of time!" Susan gritted her teeth. There was no way she was 'marrying' this psycho. But if she wanted to live, she'd go with it. Susan looked expectantly at Eddie, who didn't budge an inch.

"Um...Eddie, I can't change with you in here," she said slowly with a sheepish grin. She gulped as his face dimmed.

"And why is that?" he growled.

"W-well, uh... that... it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding," she stammered. Eddie glowered at her, then smirked suddenly.

"Of course, darling." he purred. "But we'll have to see each other after the wedding. To consummate our vows." Eddie reached a hand out to caress Susan's stomach. "To grow our family."

Susan felt herself go rigid. Her widened eyes stared at Eddie like she'd never seen him before. Did he plan to...

Eddie kissed her forehead and left the room. Susan slapped a shaking hand to her mouth to stifle her sobbing. What shocked her more than the sobbing was the maniacal laughter hidden underneath.


	6. Chapter 6

The dress was a tight squeeze. Eddie must have been planning on a much smaller girl than Susan. She'd never hated her body until that moment. She winced as another seam popped on the side of her body where her injury was. But she wedged herself into the dress. Shaking, she opened the door. Eddie has his arms crossed and leaned against the wall opposite. He was gazing off down the hallway until Susan quietly cleared her throat. His red eyes snapped over to her. He didn't move, he didn't speak, he just stared. Susan felt hot from fear, exhaustion, and the pain in her side. But she didn't move.

Finally, Eddie began to circle her, peering at his creation.

"Seems I should have made some adjustments," he muttered. "I wasn't prepared for your…generousness."

Susan wrinkled her nose indignantly, forgetting herself for the moment.

"I'm not f-fat!" she stuttered. Eddie chuckled and stroked her cheek.

"Of course not, darling! You have the perfect body. Not to small, just right for us." He purred. Susan shuddered at his words and looked away. Eddie chuckled once again.

"You should go change back, my love. I'll fix the dress."

* * *

He was being oddly agreeable. Susan lay back on her bed with a hand draped over her eyes. She couldn't understand what could be done other than giving him what he wanted. She was too weak to fight or run. Her head was pounding. She just felt…numb. Like her body had gone to sleep and she was experiencing pins and needles. She could hear Eddie humming to himself from the other room, the sewing machine hard at work. His voice was almost comforting.

_Poor dear, working so hard for this, _she thought, then frowned. _What am I saying? He's crazy!_

Her thoughts again turned to Wayland and she gave a sigh. He should have left her by now. Just as well, they didn't know each other. Still, he _had _said they'd meet up. Somehow…

"Darling, how are you holding up?" Eddie's voice called. There was a hint of suspicion in his voice, underneath the sugary sweetness.

"I'm fine, dear. Just tired." She called back. _Dear?! _Man, she was cracking up. But he seemed satisfied with the answer and went back to sewing.

_Well he hasn't tried to kill you in the past hour. That's something. He's actually pretty nice, fixing your dress. _Susan frowned again at the voice in her head. _Stop thinking that, he's insane. You have to get out of here. Back to Olivia. _

Eddie poked his head in the room with a smile.

"Darling, I need to take another measurement." Susan nodded wearily and stood. He took out a roll of measuring tape and wrapped it around her waist. His eyes drifted from the tape to her face.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he mused. "You look quite worn out."

"It's just been a busy day." She answered. "Very…busy."

"I understand. Wedding days are usually busy, at least that's what mother used to say."

Susan gave a weak nod as he pulled the tape away and muttered the number under his breath. The door was open enough that she could see the hallway. She longed to be able to escape, to run free from this madness. Hot, fat tears rolled down her cheek. Susan didn't mean to cry, it just happened. It was too much for her to handle. She covered her eyes and hiccupped and sniffed. Eddie looked up, startled.

"Darling? What's wrong?" He put a hand on her shoulder and tried to catch her attention. Susan rubbed at her face and shook her head. "Darling…sweetheart, are you hurting?"

"I'm sorry…" she whimpered. Somewhere, she hoped Olivia could hear her. "I'm so sorry. It's all too much."

"Now, darling, it'll be alright," Eddie cooed, pulling her to his chest. Susan let herself be pulled to him. His musty smell engulfed her but she didn't care. It was just too much. She could feel herself slipping away. She wasn't mad. Not yet. But it loomed, like a shadow over her.

Eddie simply stroked her head until she calmed herself. She couldn't give up. She wanted to, but she couldn't. If she was going to die, she could at least die elsewhere. It wasn't the best plan she had, but it was all she could think of.

"Eddie…" Susan rasped. "Can you…get me some food, please? I'm feeling weak." Eddie pulled away to look at her and Susan's heart dropped. His expression was so full of love for her, of concern and caring, she almost dropped the idea of escaping. He smiled at her and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Of course, my darling. If it will make those tears go away." He said softly. His lip twitched slightly and he looked a bit sinister. "Why _were _you crying? Was it-"

"No, it wasn't another man." She sighed. "It wasn't, I promise."

Eddie adopted a thoughtful look, then smiled again.

"That's my girl! I'll be right back!"

Susan waited for his footsteps to disappear down the hallway. She grabbed the pair of sewing scissors that Eddie had left on the dresser and peeked out the room. Her side hurt immensely as she moved, but the coast was clear as far as she could tell. She crept from the room and tiptoed the opposite way from where Eddie had gone.

It was too easy. She reached the stairs in no time flat. Chuckling, she flew down the stairs like a banshee. She was getting out of here. She'd find Wayland and they'd march out of that madhouse. She'd see Olivia again. Oh, that sweet baby sister! Susan reached the bottom floor and threw open the door.

"See? Told you we'd find her."

"I still want her uterus."

_DAMMIT!_

It was bad enough they were naked, but the Twins were close enough that she could smell their breaths. Susan groaned. She leaned against the wall, banged her head a couple times, and then rubbed her forehead.

"Just my luck," she snarled. "Get. Out. Of. My. Way."

"Should we give her a head start?"

"Again? That didn't work well last time."

"But we should be gentleme-"

With a strangled cry, Susan crashed into the closest of the Twins. She slashed out with her scissors, catching his belly as she stumbled passed. The brother looked down at the blood, then back up at her.

"Well that was rude."

"I guess she doesn't want time to run then."

The Twins still had their knives, but the numbness in Susan's head was getting to be unbearable. She felt like a rabbit among foxes. Still, running was her best bet. But her body by now wasn't responding. She stumbled away with her scissors held tightly, watching their movements. They walked together like mirror images. Susan clenched her teeth. There was nowhere to go. She was slowly being cornered.

_It was snowing that day. Olivia's birthday, wasn't it? She just turned 21. I took her to the bar downtown. We had fun shopping beforehand. But she wanted alcohol. Who was I to say no to her?_

Susan ducked as a knife swiped near her head. She struck out blindly with her scissors again.

_It wasn't a lot of drinking. Just a small whiskey. And we talked until the wee hours of the morning. That girl is beautiful. That's what drew in all those damned drunks. That bob of blonde hair. Those blue eyes. I should have gone with her to the restroom._

The air vent was so close. Susan stumbled for it, squeezing through debris that blocked the hallway. Or were they people?

_It was so crowded. I kept bumping into people while I looked for her. But the bathroom was empty._

She hauled herself up, muscles screaming. The Twins stood just outside. She screeched at them, brandishing her meager weapon. Saliva and sweat poured down her face as she backed away. Freedom. Where was it? Where was she?

_I had to ask if anyone had seen her. Please, she's my little sister. And that man, the one with the scruffy face, the one who'd been staring at her all night, was gone. It was hot. It was crowded. I need air. GIVE ME AIR._

Susan could see light up ahead. She weakly crawled towards it. The vent was stuffy. It was covered in dried blood. Susan ignored it. Freedom was right there. With a grunt, she let herself fall out of the vent and onto the floor. The room was much cooler. She just lay there, breathing.

_It was cold outside. I'd forgotten my jacket. But I saw the blonde bob in the alleyway. Right behind the scruffy man. The alley smelled of garbage. Olivia looked scared. Why was she scared?_

It was the stench that made Susan look up. The bodies hung all over the ceiling. Mutilated, rotting, they were everywhere. Some looked like they'd had skin sewn to their breasts. And they all had one similarity: the gaping hole where their manhood should have been. Susan couldn't look away. She was horrified. These were men. Men made to look like women. Men killed for not being correct. They had such vulgarness that had been ripped away.

_Olivia had whimpered. Her eyes caught mine as the man loomed over her. His words were soft, slurred. He called her a whore. He lifted his fist at her._

"They were all whores, darling," Eddie spoke softly. Susan wiped at her mouth, staring at the vomit all over her front. When had Eddie gotten there? He had a bag of chips in his hands as he stood behind her.

"Whores…?" Susan whispered.

"Yes. Like you. I saw those two brutes chasing you." Eddie kneeled down to face Susan. Susan's head hurt. It was numb. Was that Eddie? Or the man? This wasn't blood, it was snow, right? And it wasn't scissors in her hand, wasn't it a pipe she'd found behind the garbage can?

"I…I…"

"Susan, darling," Eddie grabbed her face roughly and forced her to look up. "You're a whore. Just. Like. Them."

But weren't they getting married? What about her dress? The wedding? She didn't react as Eddie towered over her. Thousands of empty eye sockets watched them in the deafening silence.


End file.
